Apples
by Reona
Summary: From the horse’s view things look very different. “I want apples!” Complete


_Title: Apples  
Author: Reona  
Email: reona32@aol.com  
Fandom: LotR  
Pairing(s): Glorfindel/Elrond in passing  
Rating: G  
Summary: From the horse's view things look very different. "I want apples!"  
Disclaimer: I don't own LotR. I do own this story and any odd characters that show up.  
Authors Note: In the movie, Arwen calls the horse she is riding Asfaloth. Writing in present tense is a pain.  
Namárie = farewell_   
  
  
  
_What do you think you're doing? Yes, you! I don't see any other she-Elves sneaking around in the stables at night._ I watch the black-clad female Elf with dark hair furtively walk down the isle and stop before my stall. She hefts some tack onto the wooden beam and I lay back my ears. _You do know that is my saddle and bridle you are carrying, don't you? My master is not going to be pleased with you when he finds out._ As you open the door to my pad, I flick my tail in surprise. _I sincerely hope you don't plan on trying to ride me, she-Elf. _   
  
My warning seems to fall on deaf pointed ears as she steps into my stall and beckons to me. Curiosity getting the better of me, I stretch my head forward and take a huge lungful of her scent. _As I thought, no apples. You are not getting into my good graces, she-Elf._ She takes another step forward and I back away from her. _Apples! I want apples! Do you understand me? _ She frowns at me and I snort. _Wonderful, I'm dealing with an Elf that is both dense and deaf. How nice. _   
  
But I finally recognize who the she-Elf is. She is my master's mate's daughter. I like my master's mate. The dark-haired male Elf always has apples and carrots and sugar cubes hidden away in his robes when he comes to see me. And he smells nice; like apple blossoms, even in the winter. Plus, he knows exactly the spot to scratch behind my ear and he listens to me. _Unlike you, who I'm beginning to think isn't very smart. Hello? Are you listening to me? I think not. I wonder how much noise you would make if I bit you? _ I immediately reconsider the action, knowing that my master's mate would not be pleased if I bit his offspring. _ Drat. _   
  
For a few minutes I lead the she-Elf around my stall as she tries to put the saddle on me. _Do you know how silly you look right now? _ The horses around the stable watch with amusement, but as the she-Elf's frustration mounts, I stop and allow her to strap the saddle on my back. _Fine! I'll take you for a trip up and down the river but I better be getting apples in the morning. _ I allow the she-Elf to put the bit of the bridle in my mouth and she pats me happily between my eyes. _Yes, I'm a wonderful horse. Just get on. _   
  
The she-Elf pulls herself onto my back and I willingly head out of the stables, walking across the courtyard outside. When we reach the riverbank, the she-Elf orders me faster. _Oh, you want to go fast do you? Alright. You asked for it. _ The she-Elf yelps as I break out into a full gallop and I toss my head with a laugh as she clings to my mane. For a few moments I race the wind, running full out. But I then slow a little, thinking that the apple blossom smelling Elf would be equally displeased if I dumped his daughter into the water. _Although it is tempting. _   
  
I prance a little as we head down the river, enjoying the night-time outing. However, when we reach the Ford I stop. _What do you think you're doing? I seem to be saying that a lot with you. Wait a moment, Miss Elf! That is outside the valley and I'm not taking you out there. My master would be so mad, not to mention his mate as well. _ She tries to get me to go forward but I set my hooves in the rocky riverbank and shake my head. _I'm not doing it! _ After a moment of frustrating movements from my rider, she stills. _Finally! Can we go home now? _My ears perk as a strange noise comes from the she-Elf. _Hey, now! Are you crying? Oh Valar! You are crying! There's no need for that! Stop! Please stop! _   
  
The she-Elf on my back is now babbling something about needing to find him and being worried. _Who? The human with the many strange smells? Are you listening to me? Hello? _ The she-Elf ignores me as she continues crying. But I know the person she is talking about. It's my master's mate's not-Elf son, the one that always smells of far-away places. And dirt. And pine. But mostly dirt. I sigh and start to cross the river, wading across and going up the opposite bank. The she-Elf hugs my neck and I sigh again. _I better have my own apple tree after this! Hey, don't get my mane wet! Drat. _   
  
  
  
_Two days. Two days I've been out in the Wilds with this deaf and dumb she-Elf. I want to go home!_ My mane has tangles in it and my back is getting sore. I think there is a rock in my front right hoof and a bur in my tail. _And I still haven't gotten any apples. _ We've been wandering around in circles since I made the mistake of crossing the river out of the valley. _That's it! You have no sense of direction and I'm taking over! _ The she-Elf yelps as I suddenly change direction. She pulls at my reins but I ignore her. For some time she tries to get me to obey her commands but I've had enough of her and continue on my way.   
  
I can feel her frustration mount. _Gasp! Did that word just come out of your mouth! Oh, the apple blossom smelling Elf is going to be so mad at you when I tell him. _ Suddenly, I stop and perk up my ears. _People! Weird smelling people but people none-the-less. And one of them has apples. _ I turn and carefully and quietly near them. I pause as two of them separate from the group, glad that my importunate rider has the sense to be silent. My nose quivers. _Look what I just found. It's the dirt and pine smelling not-Elf male. How nice. _   
  
The she-Elf slips silently from my back and carefully sneaks up on the not-Elf male, sword drawn. She speaks to him while putting her sword lightly under his chin and I can feel the amusement roll off both of them. _Has anyone ever told you both that you are so strange? Because you are. Alright, we found the funny not-Elf. Can we go home now? _ They don't seem to be listening to me and I sigh. The dirt and pine smelling not-Elf always has trouble hearing me and I've already given up on the dark-haired she-Elf.   
  
The she-Elf remounts and we ride toward the rest of the group. I am patient while the she-Elf speaks with the little not-Elves but when she puts one of them on my back I have to protest. _What do you think you're doing? Get that little not-Elf off of me! Oh, it smells funny! _ The she-Elf and dirt and pine smelling not-Elf male are talking again and I bend my head back to sniff the thing upon my back. _ Evil! Get it off! _ I flick my head and shiver. _It's cold! Is it supposed to be that cold? _ I draw in another lungful of scent and flick my ears. The thing upon my back is not evil but I realize that evil has been done to it. And it is dying. _Hello? Little not-Elf? Are you alright? _ I nudge his furry foot but get no response. _Wonderful. Another deaf and dumb not-Elf. _ But I am concerned. I don't like it when things die unnecessarily. _ I need to get you to the apple blossom smelling Elf. He's good at healing hurts. He'll fix you. _   
  
I snort and flick my head again. _Come on! We have to hurry! _ Finally, the she-Elf gets back on and orders me onward. _Yes, yes. Noro lim. I'm going. _ I run fast, galloping hard across the plains and through the sparse pine trees. My she-Elf rider holds tightly to the little not-Elf but I can feel him slipping into darkness. _Hang on little not-Elf. Please hang on. _ Suddenly, my nose quivers and my blood turns cold. _What is that!? _ Five black riders appear behind us and the she-Elf orders me faster still. _You don't have to tell me! _ I take out all the stops and fly across the ground. I swerve harshly as four other black riders suddenly appear from the trees and lay back my ears as they screech at me.   
  
The nine black riders try to surround us and I twist around a pine tree. _Yes, follow me you idiots. Around the trees, around the trees. You are all too slow! _ I laugh as I race around the trees, coiling the black riders that follow into knots. Finally, they fall behind us and I sprint across the plains. I thunder down the riverbank and across the river. _What are you doing? We can't stop here! _The she-Elf reins me to a stop and we turn to face the opposite bank. The black riders hiss at us and the she-Elf challenges them in that not-Elven language, drawing her sword. The nine black riders draw their swords and begin to cross the river. _Wow, that's not very bright of you. _   
  
The she-Elf begins to chant and I brace my legs as the river begins to rise. From between the valley, a wall of rushing water crashes down upon the riders, washing them away. _Namárie, you fools! _ I flick my head as I feel the she-Elf's distress and realize the little not-Elf is in a bad way. _Better hurry to the apple blossom smelling Elf. _ I turn and race down the riverbank into the valley, heading for the house. As I ride across the bridge and enter the courtyard, I find that my master and his dark-haired mate are waiting for us. I sigh as I come to a stop in front of them; they do not look pleased. The she-Elf slips from my back with the little not-Elf and goes to the apple blossom smelling Elf. After some stressful words, both dark-haired Elves disappear into the house with the little not-Elf.   
  
My master glares at me for a moment. "Well?" he asks, annoyance in his voice.   
  
I lower my head sheepishly. _Would it help if I said it wasn't my fault?_ My master shakes his head and I sigh. I don't see any apples in my future. _Drat. _   
  
  
  
_Well, I didn't get any apples but at least I'm back in my stall. _ Slowly, aching and sore, I settle down into fresh hay. _Ah, bliss. _ My master's mate's horse in the next stall snickers but I ignore him. _I'd like to see him outrun the Nazgûl. _   
  
Sounds of someone in the stable don't raise my head. _You've got visitors, Asfaloth_, says one of the other horses.   
  
I raise my head at that, curious. _Visitors? _ I echo. Hauling myself to my feet, I look out to see the apple blossom smelling male Elf and his two mirror sons walking down the isle toward me. Between the two mirror male Elves is a basket of apples.   
  
My master's mate stops in front of me and he rubs soothingly between my eyes. The apples are brought inside my stall and the apple blossom smelling Elf kisses my nose. "For your bravery, dear Asfaloth," says the dark-haired elder Elf.   
  
Hungrily, I dive into the treats. _This makes up for everything. Weird smelling not-Elves and all._


End file.
